Has anyone ever heard of the word, 'quill', being defined as: the best, most proficient and talented, like 'top notch'?

Harold Gould uses the word, 'quill', in the movie, 'The Sting', when he is at the bar where he picks out the best men to work the con.

Kid Twist (Harold Gould): "Gondorff is setting up a wire store on the north side. I'm gonna need a twenty man boost right away." Dukey: "I've got plenty of talent out there tonight. You can take your pick."Kid Twist: "This is a tough one, Dukey. These guys have gotta be the 'quill'."Dukey: (directs comment to Lace)"Get me the sheet." (to Kid Twist) "We'll see who's in town."

Thanks everyone,Sardith

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” ~Mark Twain, [pen name for Samuel Clemens], American author and humorist, (1835-1910)~

New word for cool, fly, awesome, etc.You wish you could be as quill as me.

I saw this one but decided not to use it as they say it's new. Since the use here is from The Sting, it should be criminal slang from the 30s. Even the movie itself is 40 years old, so I wouldn't call it new.

Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” ~Mark Twain, [pen name for Samuel Clemens], American author and humorist, (1835-1910)~

I would suppose that since a quill is an old form of writing tool, it would imply that a person describe this way would be "sharp". I've used a quill to do some calligraphy and you have to constantly sharpen it . Also porcupines have sharp quills. Just a thought. In contrast, someone that is not quill (sharp), can be referred to as "not the sharpest tool in the toolbox. "

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” ~Mark Twain, [pen name for Samuel Clemens], American author and humorist, (1835-1910)~